Macross Delta Mission 23: Scar Requiem

Hayate, Mirage and Freyja march through the snow while attempting to avoid Drakens searching above them. Roid and Keith report to Heinz that Kassim died and the intruders hid their planes, but they are heading to the field to assume command of the search. Heinz says there’s something he must ask of them. Arad and Kaname hide in the trees and use binoculars to watch the nearby ground troops and vehicles. Arad calls Mirage, who reports that their group is 30 kilometers from their destination. Separately, Makina, Mikumo and Reina ride motorcycles due to Reina’s leg being injured, and Reina reports that her jamming will eventually be cracked. Even though Chuck was left behind on Alfheim and the Shuttle crashed off target, Arad tells everyone that the mission will proceed, with the groups heading toward the capital city Derwent to destroy the Protoculture system. Makina wonders if they can pull it off, and Kaname answers that they have to play the cards they’ve been dealt. Arad orders everyone to maintain radio silence until the next scheduled check-in. Hayate’s group stops when they spot soldiers nearby, and Freyja tells them to follow her to a cave. She explains that only locals know this route, and that she used to play here as a child. She pulls out her music player, which was given to her by an Earth soldier in the area. They emerge from the cave near Freyja’s village, and a Draken flies toward it. Arad and Kaname infiltrate an abandoned NUNS base to look for anything that might be of use. Kaname sees a wall of photos in the mess hall, which Arad explains is from the 53rd Air Corp. Makina rewraps the bandages on Reina’s foot and suggests that they eat, without Mikumo slipping away. Reina wonders if Mikumo is embarrassed, and Mikumo admits that she’s never eaten in front of other people. Mikumo opens a can of Ragnan sea spiders, which she’s never eaten because her diet was strictly regimented. As she eats, Makina stuffs a snowball down the back of her dress and tells her that experiencing new things will change how she sings. Freyja and Mirage hide inside a downed tree trunk while Hayate scouts ahead. Mirage is impressed with how Freyja is carrying on with this mission, and she says that while she doesn’t know much about music, it was Freyja’s singing that moved her the most. Freyja thinks that Mirage was impressive for declaring that she’d take down Hayate. The two then ask each other why they each care so much about Hayate. He appears at that moment and informs them that the Aerial Knights have arrived. Bogue flies over them and detects a foul wind, and Xao opens fire on Makina, Reina and Mikumo, with the latter staying behind to deal with the enemy. Paraglider troops land and open fire, but Mikumo uses the gas charges in her dress to rush in and attack them. Roid orders Xao to go after the others because he’s sent someone else to get Mikumo. Bogue opens fire on Hayate’s group and is joined by Keith and Hermann in surrounding them. Mikumo runs through the forest and encounters Roid, who calls her the Singer of the Stars. He mutters “Rudanjaar Rom Mayan,” which triggers a reaction in her as he knocks her out.

Bogue yells at Hayate’s group for killing Kassim, and Keith reminds him that they have orders to bring in the intruders alive. Keith calls Roid, who reports that he’s returning to the castle while the Jussilas search for the remaining fugitives. Freyja asks if everyone in Ravengrass is safe, and Hermann explains that they only went door-to-door to ask about her. Roid arrives on the scene and identifies the prisoners by name, along with the fact that Hayate is Wright’s son. Bogue is overcome with rage and tries to draw his sword, but Hermann stops him. Roid asks if Hayate came to Windermere knowing what Wright had done, but Hayate says he won’t believe it until he sees it for himself. Bogue asks if they’re going to let the prisoners live, and Roid answers that Heinz wants them put on trial before execution. At this point, if Hayate wants to see the truth, they should show him. Arad and Kaname ride a motorcycle and make contact with Makina and Reina. Despite everyone else having gone silent, Arad wants to continue with the mission as planned. Hayate demands to know where they’re being marched to, and Hermann tells Freyja that Kassim’s body was recovered and sent to his family. He thanks them for placing an apple at his side, and Mirage acknowledges that he was an excellent warrior until the end. Roid reminds Hayate of what he said earlier and tells him to see for himself the crater where the Dimension Eater was dropped. Freyja remembers seeing this earlier, and Roid explains that this area was once the town of Carlyle. Bogue mentions that his elder sister Mira was married to the town’s lord, but now she’s dead. He angrily asks if Hayate still thinks his father is innocent. Freyja recalls standing in the same spot and seeing the blast as a child. She starts crying, and Hayate tells her to sing for them. She starts singing “Giraffe Blues,” and Hayate feels pain in his chest. Bogue angrily tells her to stop because singing won’t do anything for the dead. He then picks her up by the collar and throws her to the ground. Freyja doesn’t understand what they’re saying, but her rune tells her it’s wrong. Mirage states that none of them really know the truth of what happened, or if it was even Wright. And if it was, there must’ve been a reason, to which Bogue asks if they should just forgive all of this. Freyja tells Bogue to stop looking for someone to blame, and Bogue asks permission to show them the Demon’s Wings. Roid agrees and leaves. Hayate’s group is taken to a building that has Wright’s Sturmvogel II on display. Bogue explains that Grammier had it repaired and put on display to serve as a symbol of Windermere’s humiliation and never be forgotten. He adds that a dead pilot was found in the cockpit and states it’s an undeniable fact that Wright piloted the plane and dropped the Dimension Eater. Roid visits Mikumo and again calls her the Singer of the Stars.